1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus represented by a personal computer for example.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, personal computers (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “PC”) have been in widespread use not only in offices but also at homes. As one type of personal computers, there have been widely known notebook personal computers (hereinafter referred to as “notebook PC”) each composed of: a main unit having a keyboard on the top surface; and a display unit openable and closable with respect to the main unit and having a display screen. The display unit is opened to stand relative to the main unit when in use and is folded to lie on the keyboard when not in use.
Also, plate-like tablet personal computers (hereinafter referred to as “tablet PC”) having a display screen on the top surface have emerged in recent years. A user enters an instruction into this type of PC by bringing a stylus closer to a position on the display screen or touching the position with the stylus so as to make the tablet PC recognize the position.
Also, another type of electronic apparatus capable of operating both as a notebook PC and a tablet PC have come along recently. This type of apparatus has a main unit and a display unit which are connected via a two-axis connection section that supports the main unit and the display unit in such a manner that they can be opened/closed and rotated.
General electronic apparatus such as personal computers are desired to be smaller in size. Particularly, the above-mentioned notebook PCs, tablet PCs and the like are desired to be smaller and thinner because they need to be portable. Lately, as the notebook PCs have become more and more multifunctional, performance of notebook PCs has almost reached the high level comparable to that of desktop PCs. Therefore, it is desired to realize a smaller and thinner apparatus that also maintains high operability while keeping with the trend toward multifunction.
Not only notebook PCs but also various types of devices, such as game machines, DVD recorders and players, hard-disk recorders are desired to be smaller and thinner for the purpose of saving space of an installation site.
Under the circumstances, a cabinet formed of resin and the like, which contains various components and units and defines the outer dimensions, has been also made thinner and lighter for the purpose of reducing the size and weight of apparatus. If a component, so configured to be fixed with the help of the strength of the cabinet, is fixed in such a thinner and lighter cabinet, the cabinet may be damaged due to insufficient strength of the cabinet and malfunction.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-145881 proposes a camera with an IC memory card slit and a strap, in which an inserted IC memory card is locked by the weight of the camera when the camera is hung down with the strap. When the strap is operated in the reverse direction, the memory card is unlocked.
Also, Japanese Registered Utility Model No. 2553824 proposes a technique characterized by its disk ejection mechanism devised to reduce the thickness of a disk device.
One of technical challenges to meet the demand for reduction in size, thickness and weight of information processing apparatus is to form a cabinet with a thin material. If the wall of the cabinet is thin, components etc. cannot be made to have a structure utilizing the strength of the cabinet. For this reason, such components need to be made larger and thicker for the purpose of increasing the strength, which may not reduce the size and weight of the apparatus in its entirety even if the cabinet is formed with a thin material.
The above publications both propose a mechanism for ejecting a portable storage medium such as memory cards, disks, and the like, but their proposals are not made in view of the reduction in thickness of the wall of the cabinet.
In view of the foregoing, the present invention provides an electronic apparatus which includes: a slot into which a portable storage medium is removably inserted and which accesses the inserted portable storage medium; and an ejection mechanism section which ejects the portable storage medium inserted into the slot without relying on the strength of an enclosure while avoiding increase in size of components and ensuring the strength.